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Theme and Cultural References
- "Proposition Infinity" was inspired by the political battle over California Proposition 8 in the United States and heavily satirizes the controversy over same-sex marriage. The title is a reference to California Proposition 8 with the "8" sideways, thus becoming the symbol of infinity (∞). The camp where Bender is being reprogrammed parodies conversion therapy camps for homosexuals. The episode also satirizes the people against same-sex marriage, and in particular, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM); the episode depicts an anti-Proposition Infinity advertisement ("No on Infinity"), which is a direct parody of NOM's 2009 "Gathering Storm" campaign. Many of the jokes in the episode were inspired by the actual vote regarding Proposition 8 and similar legislative debates over same-sex marriage throughout the United States, with several critics noting that the episode was favorable toward same-sex marriage.
Trivia
- The name of the Prison is named Will Riker's Island, as nod to both the real New York Prison and Commander William Riker from Star Trek: The Next Generation, played by Jonathan Frakes (who had a guest shot in Where No Fan has Gone Before).
- When Amy, Leela, Fry and Bender are sitting in the club, Leela says: "Here's to Amy. Single, Lonely and Fabulous". this can be a reference to Sex and the City.
- A hot dog stand turns into a robot, and he calls himself a "pre-op Transformer". This is a parody of the Autobots and Decepticons from Transformers (franchise) and a reference to transsexuals.
- Leela contradicts herself in this episode by saying she believes there is nothing wrong with Robosexuals even though when Fry dated a robot she said she thought it was wrong. Although she could have changed her opinion.
- URL references Spock and Rapper LL Cool J's song "Momma Said Knock You Out", by saying "Momma Said Spock You Out" as he Vulcan-neck-pinches a convict who had taken Amy hostage.
- Bender's vandalism spree, where he lays tile mosaics of his face all over New New York, is a reference to the French street artist Invader, who pastes mosaics based on characters from the game Space Invaders to walls in cities all around the world.
- During the Pride Parade scene, a cartoon similar to the character of Gay Robot, created by comedian Nick Swardson, is seen dancing.
- When Bender is naming the couples that were allowed to marry, He says at the end of the list "Even Ghost and Horse!" Which is a reference from the Headless Horseman. Apparently, the fact that the last ghost died centuries ago according to Leela in "The Honking" wasn't enough to extinguish the species because one of the married couples seeming to supporting robosexual marriage at the rally is a "ghost-and-horse" pairing. The robot Medium must not have been there or seen them, because she asserts in "Ghost in the Machines" that "...there's no such thing as ghosts, you donkey-monkey!" There we learn of at least three varieties of ghost: robot ghosts, g-g-g-ghosts and "the regular kind" according to the robot devil.
- The interracial couple shown during the parade is a reference to the Star Trek episode "Let that be your Last Battlefield" Where two species harbour intense hatred of each other, one species has black on the left side of their face and white on the right, and the other species has black on the right and white on the left.
- Robosexuality must have been tabooed between Season 3 and this episode, otherwise Nappster (the internet site that allows you to download a celebrity onto a robot) would have been illegal. Plus, the Professor frowns on robosexuality in this episode, but is supportive (at first) of Fry using Nappster.
- The planet named "Tornadus" shares its name with a legendary Pokémon from Pokémon Black And White.
- This is the first episode in which Zoidberg adresses Bender by his name instead of "robot".
- Amy's "hunk of the month" calendar has the same days as July 3010.